Roll-type blinds for windows

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a blind comprising a series of alternately suspended laths and slats. The upper rim of each slat is bent into a hooklike shape which is hinged in a correspondingly bent lower rim of the preceding lath. The upper rim of each lath is integral with a coupling channel having an engaging member. A shoulder projects from the upper portion of the slat and cooperates with the engaging member in such a manner as to cause an angular displacement of the slat when a tension is applied to the laths of the blind.

[4 Feb. 15,1972

United States Patent Piana aa .l d. mmmmwmmm mmm mn w um m m m m m f,mmm o s mm n n c rmf m m aw w m .mw m m m nm mmm m T lu m c m wm m L akm mm emm m mmm um m mm m mm 4 fimm m n mmm mmwm mm RM m mw wmmm 465 d Cmmm mm mmmmmm s Muu m mm mmm wmfi 1 E u fin mmm mn M dmw m. 5 V. W. f Ey fi n UM mm o fln mmm m n m m m n mm .m um n m, nw n n m m n m Om m m Omwifi ..m s m w w m m m l w w M m n n a m mm a 9 O N m w m m T m m le...l n n A a L 9 n m N T e e 1 n C I r E m n n E m WRMJS NW T.. n m m N Law m L m mm & d O O v m D. St n. 3 FZ Rm FA Um M 7 O l fi l] 111] 1 0 6mm mm mmmm N 8 ROLL-TYPE BLINDS FOR WINDOWS One of the inconveniences ofthe present roll-type blinds is that, when they are lowered, even thoughthe slats are spaced apart for a maximum distance from one another, thepassage of air through the blind is rather limited. On the other hand,such an arrangement of the slats causes another incon venience which isstill more annoying, in as far as there is a good visibility fromoutside into the rooms, especially at night when they are lit up. Theuser is, therefore forced to keep the blinds completely lowered alsoduring summer time, giving up the benefit of having air come in fromoutside.

The object of the present invention is an improvement in such blinds inorder to permit a better passage of air as compared with those in use atpresent and, preventing at the same time the visibility into the homefrom outside. This is accomplished with rather simple methods andwithout modifying at all the present systems of control, such as thewinding-up roller, the lifting belt, the belt-stopping device etc.

The roll-type blinds of this invention can be considered in a certainsense as an economical combination of the conventional blinds with aVenetian blind, the elements being possibly made of plastic, aluminum orother material.

ln the attached drawings two embodiments are diagrammaticallyillustrated by way of example only without intcntion to limit in any waythe present invention:

FlG. l is a cutaway perspective view of several elements of a roll-typeblind according to one embodiment of this invention, having its slats inclosed position;

FlG. 2 is a similar view as in FlG. l but with blind slats in wide openposition;

FlG. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of another embodiment of theroll-type blind of this invention with closed blind slats; and

FlG. 4 is a similar view as in FlG. 3 showing blind slats in a partiallyopen position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As can be seen from the drawings the roller-typeblind of this invention comprises a plurality of alternately arrangedblind elements of two different types, namely of laths l and of slats 5.The laths l are vertically suspended and Controlled by conventionalmeans (not illustrated), such as a tensioning belt, for example, forbeing pulled upwardly to increase or lower the tension therebetween. Bycontrast to conventional roll-type blinds, the laths l are hinged one toanother by upper coupling portions of slats 5, as it will be explainedbelow.

With reference to FlGS. l and 2, each lath l includes a flat centralportion with venting apertures A and A'. The upper rims of each lath lis provided with a D-shaped upper coupling channel 4 having alongitudinal slit 15 in its perpendicular wall for receiving a couplingshoulder 7 projecting from the upper portion of the slat 5.

The lower rim of the flat portion of the lath l is integral with a lowercoupling member 14 having a hook-shaped portion 2 in which a bent upperrim 3 of the slat 5 is suspended.

The lower portion of the slat 5 undemeath the coupling shoulder 7 formsa cover which, in a loosened condition of the blind, covers the entireflat portion of the lath l (FIG. l). As mentioned above, the upper rimof the slat has a hooklike bent portion 3 which is hinged in hookportion 2 of the lower coupling member 14.

The projecting shoulder 7 is provided with transverse wings 7 and 8 andpasses through the slit into the interior of the upper coupling channel4. The wings 7 and 8 are arranged in such a manner as to cooperate withthe curved wall of the D- shaped coupling channel 4 and with the lips ofthe slit 15 in response to the direction of tension applied to thesuspended blind. The shoulder 7 thus operates as a lever controlling theangular positions of the slat 5. When the laths of the blind arelowered, by loosening the lath belt, for example, the only tensionapplied to the blind is that caused by the gravity as indicated by anarrow in FIG. l. ln this case the projecting shoulder 7 is disengagedfrom the upper edge of the slit 15. As a result, the cover portion ofthe slat 5 will turn into its closed position, covering the ventingapertures A, A' in the flat portion of the lath l. lf, however, atension in an upward direction is applied to the upperrnost lath of theblind, as indicated by arrow in FIG. 2, the upper lip of the slit 15will abut against the upper surface of the shoulder 7 and the lower lipof the slit will exert pressure against the lower wing 7. Due to theapplied traction, the upper lip starts sliding on the shoulder 7 and thelower lip on the Wing 7, thus causing rotation of the slat around thehinge represented by the hooks-2 and 3. The rotation of the slat 5continues until the shoulder 7 angularly dis places slats 5 of the blindinto their wide open position (FlG. 2);

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an improved modification of the embodiment asshown in FlGS. l and 2. The improvement resides particularly in thatconfiguration of the upper coupling channel 4' and in the Simplifiedshape of the shoulder 7' which ensures a better coupling of two blindelements, facilitates the lifting and lowering of the slats and can bemade easily produced in a plastic material. The structure and operationof the remaining parts is substantially identical with that of thepreceding embodiment. By contrast to the previously described uppercoupling channel 14, the top wall 11 of the modified coupling channel14' in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a V- shaped profile and the projecting shoulder7' which is without any transverse wings, is profiled accordingly into aV-like shape. ln the rest position, when the blind belt is loosened andthe laths 1 lowered (FlG. 3) the apex of the V-shaped control shoulder7' rotates around the hinge 2 by the force of gravity downwardly to aVertical alignment with the apex of the V- shaped top wall 2' of thecoupling channel 4'. When the belt is tensioned and the laths l arepulled apart from one another (FIG. 4), the profiled top wall ll startsfunctioning as a cam and the profiled shoulder 7' as a cam follower. TheV-shaped top surface of the shoulder 7' slidably abuts against the apexand the free edge of the top wall ll and causes rotating of the slatupwardly until a single aperture A" in the lath l is wide open.

By regulating the tension of the belt it is possible to correspondinglyregulate the lifting of only one part of the slats. The lower slats arethe last Ones to be opened when the lifting beltis tensioned.

The invention can, of course, undergo several modifications in form anddisposition of its various constituting parts within the spirit andscope of the invention.

l claim:

l. ln a roll-type blind construction, comprising in combination aplurality of laths one above the other when the blind is in use, eachlath having at least one aperture, a plurality of slats, each slatincluding a connecting portion and a cover portion, and each slat beingmovable between a covering position wherein said cover portion coverssaid aperture and, respectively, a ventilating position at an angle tosaid covering position and wherein it is angularly spaced apart fromsaid lath and uncovers said aperture thereof sufiiciently to pennit airto flow through said aperture, each lath having a top and bottom rim,

suspension means including engaging means formed on the connectingportion of each slat operable for interengaging two adjoining laths fornormally suspending the lower thereof from the upper thereof at least insaid closing position of the slat therebetween when the upper thereof issuspended above the lower,

and including pivoting means between said connecting portion of eachslat, and the lath above and the lath below said slat, operative to movesaid slat from said covering to said ventilating position when the upperlath through gravity approaches the lower lath.

2. ln a roll-type blind construction, as claimed in claim l, whereinsaid engaging means have a hook portion' at one end thereof, and anotherhook portion on a lower part of each of said laths, said hook portionsbeing operable to interengage thereby linking said laths with said slat.

3. ln a roll-type blind construction, as claimed in claim 2, whereinsaid pivoting means for the lath below defines a 'I'- shape on the slatat an end thereof,

projection means on said operable pivoting means on the latch to abutthereagainst when said slat is in the covering position.

4. ln a roll-type blind construction, as claimed in claim 3, whereinsaid pivoting means has a sectional shape matching the shape of a shapedportion ofan upper side of said lath; said pivoting means being operableto lie substantially directly under said shaped portion when said slatis in the covering position. v 5. ln a roll-type blind construction, asclaimed in claim l, saidpivoting means for the upper lath including anend with a rounded corner on said engaging means of said slat, saidcorner having a concave portion thereof facing the bottom of the upperlath, said corner being operative to contact said lower part of saidupper lath, for suspension when said slats are in the covering positionand, respectively, sliding thereagainst for rotating said slat when saidlaths are moved towards the ventilating position.

1. In a roll-type blind construction, comprising in combination aplurality of laths one above the other when the blind is in use, eachlath having at least one aperture, a plurality of slats, each slatincluding a connecting portion anD a cover portion, and each slat beingmovable between a covering position wherein said cover portion coverssaid aperture and, respectively, a ventilating position at an angle tosaid covering position and wherein it is angularly spaced apart fromsaid lath and uncovers said aperture thereof sufficiently to permit airto flow through said aperture, each lath having a top and bottom rim,suspension means including engaging means formed on the connectingportion of each slat operable for interengaging two adjoining laths fornormally suspending the lower thereof from the upper thereof at least insaid closing position of the slat therebetween when the upper thereof issuspended above the lower, and including pivoting means between saidconnecting portion of each slat, and the lath above and the lath belowsaid slat, operative to move said slat from said covering to saidventilating position when the upper lath through gravity approaches thelower lath.
 2. In a roll-type blind construction, as claimed in claim 1,wherein said engaging means have a hook portion at one end thereof, andanother hook portion on a lower part of each of said laths, said hookportions being operable to interengage thereby linking said laths withsaid slat.
 3. In a roll-type blind construction, as claimed in claim 2,wherein said pivoting means for the lath below defines a T-shape on theslat at an end thereof, projection means on said operable pivoting meanson the latch to abut thereagainst when said slat is in the coveringposition.
 4. In a roll-type blind construction, as claimed in claim 3,wherein said pivoting means has a sectional shape matching the shape ofa shaped portion of an upper side of said lath; said pivoting meansbeing operable to lie substantially directly under said shaped portionwhen said slat is in the covering position.
 5. In a roll-type blindconstruction, as claimed in claim 1, said pivoting means for the upperlath including an end with a rounded corner on said engaging means ofsaid slat, said corner having a concave portion thereof facing thebottom of the upper lath, said corner being operative to contact saidlower part of said upper lath, for suspension when said slats are in thecovering position and, respectively, sliding thereagainst for rotatingsaid slat when said laths are moved towards the ventilating position.